Process of peeling fruit.



PATENTED MAR. 7, 1905.

c. J. VERNON. PROCESS oF PBELING FRUIT.

Patented March '7, 19b5.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES J. VERNON, OF FRESNO, CALIFORNIA.

PROCESS oF FEELING FRUIT.

vSPEGIFICATION forming part vof Letters Patent N0. 784,527? dated March 7, 1905.

- pplication filed November 22, 1902. Serial No. 132,492. I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES J. VERNON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fresno, inthe county of Fresno and State' of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Peeling Fruit; and l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will cna ble others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Thisinvcntion relates to the method or process of removing the puter covering or peel from fruits; and someof the objects of the invention are to provide such' a process or method which is simple`in application and eflicient for'the purpose intended.

lt is also an object of this invention to provide a process .for removing the outer covering or peel from fruit without injuring the fruit and without producing any deleterious effect to the consumer, as well as to produce a better article than can be don'e by themeans now employed for this purpose.

With these and other objects in View the invention consists inthe method'or process substantially as more fully described inthe following specification, in which the stepsof the process or method are described in detail, in

connection witlrthe drawings accompanying and forming partv of this application, whereinA there is illustrated one form of apparatus capable of employment in carryingout-this processor method, and in which- Figure lillustrates a top plan view of an apparatus which may be employed in carrying out this process or method; and Fig. -2 is a side elevational view of the same, partly broken away.

This process or method relates to the removal of the outer covering or peel from fruit or other articles; and it consists, essentially, in cutting and pitting the fruit, conveying the same within a closed heated receptacle, progressing the fruit through a solution of causticlsoda i'n sald receptacle, then discharging the fruit into a solution containing alum, then immersing/the treated fruit intov cold water, thence discharging the fruit upon a brushing-machine, thence into cold water, from which the fruit emerges in condition for transportation to the place of deposit or otherwise.

Referring now to the drawings, illustrating an apparatus which may be employed to carry out this process or method of peeling fruit, the reference character 1 designates a conveyer-table, embodying lateral liquid chambers or receptacles 2 and an intermediate endless conveyer 3, carried by rollers"4mounted in the frame of the conveyer-table, the shaft of, one whereof is extended and carries a band Y wheel or pulley 5, by means of which the conveyer may be actuated through the mediation of any suitable driving mechanism. (Jet shown.)

The fruit is first cut in halves andpitted by anyr suitable machine, from which it is deposited upon a hopper or chute 6, that directs the same upon the endless conveyer 3 or dif rectly upon the conveyer 3, to be discharged into a hopper 7 or closed receptacle 8, having a screw-conveyer 9 operating within a perforated cylinder o5 jacket 10, and said screwconveyer is constructed to progress the fruit positively and at a predetermined speedY through the solution or liquidin the closed receptacle and discharge the partially-treated fruit, from said receptacle into another receptacle 11, as hereinafter more fully explained. The screw-conveyer 9 may be actuated by means of a band-wheel 12, driven by any actuating'mechanism, and the closed receptacle 8v may be heated by steam or other media through connections 13, as will be readily understood. ll`he liquid within the closed receptacle 8 is made by using about onehalf a pound of seventy-six per cent. of caustic soda to each gallon of water used, and the fruit is immersed' in this solution or liquid .for about twenty seconds, being conveyed through such solution or liquid by means of the screw-conveyer 9 before mentioned, and from the closed receptacle 8 the fruit is dropped into the receptacle 11, preferably containing `a solution made by dissolving two pounds of 9 ,alum in about twentyl-iive gallons of water,

and through the latter solution or liquid the fruit is progressed by a conveyer-belt 14,

.which discharges the partially-treated fruit into a tank or receptacle 15, containing cold water and provided with an endless conveyerbelt 16, constructed to discharge the fruit upon a brushing-machine 17, Where any particlesof the ou ,ter covering or peel are removed from the fruit and from which the thoroughlypeeled fruit is discharged upon another conveyer-t'able 18, to be conveyed to the place of canning or drying the fruit, as the case may be, or the gates 19 of the conveyer-table may be opened and the fruit may be discharged into the lateral liquid receptacles on each side ot' the endless coiveyer 3 thereof, as will be readily understood. l

By means of this process-or method the fruit is first halved and pitted, then discharged into a solution containing caustic soda, then conveyed into a solution containing alum, after which the fruit is discharged into cold water and is finally brushed, when the fruit is ready.

for canning or drying purposes.

By the employment of this process the fruit israpidly handled, all of the covering is removed f'rom the fruit, and ad bright product is produced which is more wholesome and palatable than a fruit now on the market.

This invention is in no manner limited to use with the apparatus herein 'shown and described, as this process or method can be carried out or practiced with other apparatus than that shown and the amount of' materials herein mentioned may be slightly varied without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

1 claim- 1. The hereindescribed process or method of peeling fruit, which consists in halving and pitting the fruit, then subjecting the fruit to the action of a skin-disintegrating solution, then subjecting the partially-treated fruit to the action of' the solution containing alum'and finally removing the particles of' skin from the treated fruit.

2. The hereinldescribed process or method of peeling fruit which consists in first cutting up and pitting the fruit, then subjecting the same to the action of a heated solution containing caustic soda, then subjecting the partially-treated fruits to the action of a solution containing alum and finally brushing the fruit.

3. The herein-described process or method of peeling fruit which consists in pitting and thensubjecting the partially-treated fruit to the action of a solution containing alum land finally brushing the treated fruit.

of peeling fruit .which consists in subjecting the fruit to a skin-disintegrating solution, then introducing the. fruit into an astringent solution, then rinsing the fruit in cold water and finally removing the particles of' skin from the fruit.

7. The hereinfdescribed process or method of peeling fruit, which consstsin dividing or pitting the fruit, then subjecting the fruit to the action of' the skin-disintegrating solution, then introducing the fruit into an astringent solution, and finally rinsing the fruit. v

In testimonywhereof' I have signed my name to this'specification, in the presence of two sub- Fresno'and State of California, of November, 1902.

CHARLES J. VERNON.

this lylth vday Witnesses:

'HENRY WILDER. E. F. LAMBERT.

cutting up the fruit, then subjecting the cutscribing witnesses, at Fresno` in the county of and pitting the fruit, then subjecting the fruit v to the action of a skin-disintegrating solution,

6. The herein-described process or method 

